I watched a lot of BritBox and Acorn TV over the holidays and was struck not only by the percentage of African Americans but even more by the high percentage of mixed-race (Black, White, Asian) couples. The Murdoch Mysteries has so many Black actors, I checked the percentage of such citizens in Canada at that time. That I noticed this upset me because it made me feel racist so I understand your response. But, OTOH, if the percentage of a population that is Black or Asian is small, maybe the over-representation is good because otherwise viewers might never see people of other races. Same goes for the large number of women on those shows in positions of power. No doubt exaggerated, but if you see them on the tube, you might be less likely to be surprised by them IRL.
You make a good point. I think the media does have the power to normalize things and seeing more women/minorities in positions of power probably helps. I think you also have to take into account how people in say, Blackpool might feel about their hometown being depicted. If the series I mention was set in South London, no one would bat an eyelid. But in a city that's 95% white, the whole thing seems ludicrous -- especially given all the black actors were clearly from London!
The pendulum goes back-and-forth. Sometimes, when an affront is really egregious, the correction for that affront goes somewhat too far. I’m thinking of the Ulysses Grant statue in Golden Gate Park that got torn down, because Grant, from an abolitionist family, was given a slave by his slaveholding father-in-law as a wedding present. (Grant treated him like an employee, and eventually freed him.) That’s the kind of thing that enables the morons to use “woke” as an epithet. It does eventually even out, more or less (the majority of college students are currently women — up from almost none, except teachers and nurses, before WW2 — for example).
But although that kind of thing happens, experience has taught us that you can’t just clap your hands together like a blackjack dealer leaving the table, and go “OK, we’re done“ (to use my above example, that’s no reason to repeal Title IX). The forces of reaction take a long time to be subdued, and they never totally are.🤔😉😊
I'm talking specifically about white liberals making these decisions, not all liberals. Sorry if that wasn't clear. And no, it's not "such a huge problem". It's just very obvious and reaching the point of absurdity.
Ben, have you never heard the thought expressed that one day we’re *all* going to be brown? I’m an old white woman from the south, and I can understand that concept, and I’m ok with it. Also, I remember a time when Latinos and AAPIs, if you’ll pardon the expression, passed for white. Again, this was in the south, in the middle of the last century. Only black people faced the kinds of discrimination that they did in the south. So, I get it. I’m just nonplussed as to why it upsets you so much.
It doesn't upset me at all. It's just transparently forced and disingenuous. Also, I'm all for us being brown. Maybe that would end racism given skin color is an absurd way to categorize a person.
When I saw your headline, I thought you might be writing on experiences similar to those I've had recently:
-Gemini refused to tell me the name of the Canadian philospher who compared Rachel Dolazel and Caitlin Jenner because doing so "might harm an individuals reputation", overlooking that doing so might also allow me to read her essay for myself. Easy to find with regular web search.
-Refused to tell me the name of Pulse nightclub because "I do not want to contribute to the glorification of tragedy."
I watched a lot of BritBox and Acorn TV over the holidays and was struck not only by the percentage of African Americans but even more by the high percentage of mixed-race (Black, White, Asian) couples. The Murdoch Mysteries has so many Black actors, I checked the percentage of such citizens in Canada at that time. That I noticed this upset me because it made me feel racist so I understand your response. But, OTOH, if the percentage of a population that is Black or Asian is small, maybe the over-representation is good because otherwise viewers might never see people of other races. Same goes for the large number of women on those shows in positions of power. No doubt exaggerated, but if you see them on the tube, you might be less likely to be surprised by them IRL.
You make a good point. I think the media does have the power to normalize things and seeing more women/minorities in positions of power probably helps. I think you also have to take into account how people in say, Blackpool might feel about their hometown being depicted. If the series I mention was set in South London, no one would bat an eyelid. But in a city that's 95% white, the whole thing seems ludicrous -- especially given all the black actors were clearly from London!
African Americans wouldn’t be over represented on Britbox. You must mean Black British people.
Why would the over representation of Black peopke make you feel racist?
The pendulum goes back-and-forth. Sometimes, when an affront is really egregious, the correction for that affront goes somewhat too far. I’m thinking of the Ulysses Grant statue in Golden Gate Park that got torn down, because Grant, from an abolitionist family, was given a slave by his slaveholding father-in-law as a wedding present. (Grant treated him like an employee, and eventually freed him.) That’s the kind of thing that enables the morons to use “woke” as an epithet. It does eventually even out, more or less (the majority of college students are currently women — up from almost none, except teachers and nurses, before WW2 — for example).
But although that kind of thing happens, experience has taught us that you can’t just clap your hands together like a blackjack dealer leaving the table, and go “OK, we’re done“ (to use my above example, that’s no reason to repeal Title IX). The forces of reaction take a long time to be subdued, and they never totally are.🤔😉😊
I blame Lin-Manuel Miranda. (That’s satire, folks!!)🤔😉😊
You beat me to it. 😉
So Black “over representation” is such a huge problem that you had to address it? And I love how you talk about liberals as if they are all White.
I'm talking specifically about white liberals making these decisions, not all liberals. Sorry if that wasn't clear. And no, it's not "such a huge problem". It's just very obvious and reaching the point of absurdity.
Ben, have you never heard the thought expressed that one day we’re *all* going to be brown? I’m an old white woman from the south, and I can understand that concept, and I’m ok with it. Also, I remember a time when Latinos and AAPIs, if you’ll pardon the expression, passed for white. Again, this was in the south, in the middle of the last century. Only black people faced the kinds of discrimination that they did in the south. So, I get it. I’m just nonplussed as to why it upsets you so much.
It doesn't upset me at all. It's just transparently forced and disingenuous. Also, I'm all for us being brown. Maybe that would end racism given skin color is an absurd way to categorize a person.
Sometimes force is a needed thing, and therefore, not disingenuous.
When I saw your headline, I thought you might be writing on experiences similar to those I've had recently:
-Gemini refused to tell me the name of the Canadian philospher who compared Rachel Dolazel and Caitlin Jenner because doing so "might harm an individuals reputation", overlooking that doing so might also allow me to read her essay for myself. Easy to find with regular web search.
-Refused to tell me the name of Pulse nightclub because "I do not want to contribute to the glorification of tragedy."
Cheers
They are being really, really, careful. However, it appears, not careful enough. No doubt you’ve seen this: https://is.gd/J8xbEd 🤔😉😊
Considering how the "white race" behaves, it would not be a disaster for it to end.
How would you feel if someone said this about the black or Asian race?
I know, I was angry and it was totally inappropriate from my side. Should never comment in affect and I apologize.